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Resident Sarah Lambersky
provides a sophisticated guide to the best of what
this eclectic city has to offer.

On your first day here,
seeing this is a must: On your first day in Prague, get
high — in elevation, that is. Put on your hiking shoes and
walk up to the top of one of the city’s hills to take in a macro
view of the skyline. Petrin Hill (Prague 5) or Letna Park (Prague
7) is best. I often hear visitors remark that Prague is a small
city, when in fact, they haven’t ventured beyond the confines of
Old Town (Stare Mesto). Standing on a hill offers a unique
perspective of Prague that will most likely be missed by relying
on GPS or maps handed out at hotels. Starting your trip from a
vantage point above the Vltava River, you can stand back and
appreciate the city’s red rooftops, interesting architecture and
expansiveness.

Most people don’t know this, but to get a true taste of
the local culture… Escape Old Town! (Yes, this
means going off the map.) To get an authentic sense of the city,
spend time in a neighborhood and you will get a true taste of the
local culture. Neighborhoods are great because you can stop by
some of the city’s best bakeries and sample delicious bread or
baked goods made with poppy seeds or tvaroh (quark), dine at a
restaurant that does not have an English sign touting
“traditional Czech food,” or drink a Czech beer in a local pub.
Each neighborhood has a different vibe but all will offer
visitors a non-touristy experience. If you are like me and define
culture and travel by food, then hop on the tram (7, 18 or 24) to
“Albertov” and have a meal at Restaurant Pod
Slavin (Svobodova 144/4, Prague 2). Here you will find
an excellent, low key and authentically Czech restaurant with
indoor and outdoor seating (smoking and non-smoking), lots of
beer and lively groups of locals chowing down on large platters
of some of the Czech Republic’s best food. Other neighborhoods to
visit to get a taste of the local culture include: Vinohrady
(Metro Stop Namesti Miru), Zizkov, Karlin (Metro: Krizikova),
Holesovice or Dejvice/Bubenec (Metro Dejvicka).

For a glimpse of daily life, I recommend this form of
transportation: Prague has a very popular and
extensive tram system that will take you almost anywhere you need
to go in the city. They are cheap and run often; however, if you
are looking to take a tram past midnight, you should know that
they tend to be less frequent. A few words of caution: you cannot
purchase a ticket on the tram. You must either buy it at a yellow
machine which are at some (not all) tram stops, or you must find
a metro station, a convenience store or tobacco store that sells
tram tickets (the fun in this is guessing which stores actually
sell tickets as there are no signs/stickers indicating whether or
not the store offers them). Tickets are available for purchase in
30 minute, 90 minute, 24 hour and 72 hour blocks of time. Once
you get on the train, you will be expected to validate your
ticket by inserting it into one of the machines. Prague’s
transportation system runs on the honour system, so no one
regularly checks tickets, but you are expected to pay your
fare. Keep in mind that there are random spot checks by
undercover transportation agents and it’s just not fun to be
caught, fined and kicked off a tram, so best be on the safe side
and buy a ticket. Note: If you are travel ling during the hotter
months, trams are not air-conditioned and body od our can be
overpowering at times.

I had my best night’s sleep at: I
live in Prague and have not personally stayed in a hotel in the
city, but I have sent several guests to the following spots (all
of which received good reviews): The Augustine
Hotel — a luxury hotel located in a former
converted monastery with a brewery and an excellent spa in the
basement; The
Icon Hotel — a modern boutique hotel with large
rooms and a restaurant on the main floor known for its
hamburgers; Andel’s
Hotel — good location that appeals to a business
clientele and has good service with a bright and welcoming
interior design.

The meal at this local eatery had me salivating for
days: Prague is known for many things, but a culinary
destination is not one of them; unless of course you consider
beer and beer-related cuisine to be things that will make you
salivate. Personally, I don’t know if I would go so far as to say
that any meal in particular has left me salivating for days, but
I have found some decent spots for food. For something offbeat
and different, I would go to Luka Lu in Mala Strana for
Balkan food. Luka Lu has lots of grilled meats, fish, salads,
Balkan cheeses and excellent bread. If you are looking for
Italian, I would go to Aromi in Vinohrady,
which is known for its pasta and fish. For soup, a Czech staple,
I love Polevkarna,
a tiny soup “kitchen” in Karlin that serves up a solid rotation
of vegetarian and meat-based soups. Finally, for something more
sophisticated and experiential, try the tasting menu
at Sansho, one of Prague’s
highly regarded restaurants serving Asian cuisine in tapas style
(meant to share). One newcomer to the restaurant scene that I
highly recommend is Essence Restaurant
located in Zizkov (Prague 3). Essence has a
bit of everything on its menu, a modern interior, great service
(an anomaly in the city) and an eager chef who aims to
please.

Best place to find artisan
handicrafts: The Czech design scene
continues to grow in choice and popularity year after year.
Strong suits in this city lie in ceramic and glass/crystal
pieces. If you can time your trip when Designblok (October) or
Design Supermarket (December) are happening, you will be sure to
discover some of Prague’s best up and coming and established
industrial designers. Otherwise, I would recommend
visiting Artel (crystal/glass), Qubus(ceramic), Batusek (ceramic),
the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
shop,de-sign.cz (ceramic + jewelry +
fashion) and Manufaktura (ceramic,
wood).

Local celebration not to be missed: Prague’s Christmas
markets, which pop up all over the city in December, are so much
fun! They are great places to try local holiday foods and
pastries, drink honey wine, and shop for small gifts such as
wooden toys or kitchen items, glassware, cookie cutters,
ornaments and other fun trinkets.

Favorite pastimes: I would say most people
come to Prague to party. However the city offers much more
than its vibrant night scene. The city offers wonderful classical
music and opera, concerts (a lot of big names pass through
Prague), film festivals, and miles of running trails and bike
paths.

For a more bucolic/green setting I escape
here: Stromovka Park, located in Prague 7. It is
one of the larger parks in the city and is a favourite among the
local community. Stromovka Park used to be the Royal Hunting
Grounds for Ottokar II, the King of Bohemia in 1268. Today
it is no longer a hunting ground but still has beautiful ponds,
trails and trees and is used for its running and in-line skating
paths. It is a green space perfect to take the dogs and/or kids
to picnic, feed the ducks or just relax. When you are in
Stromovka, you get the feeling you are sitting in a special
place.

The art/music scene is alive and well
here: Prague is a great city for music. Everywhere
you go you will see posters and flyers advertising concerts,
bands, DJs and festivals. When in doubt, walk to a tram or metro
stop to read the posters plastered on the billboards, or pick up
a copy of the Prague Post newspaper or go to a website such as
Expats.cz, which has both a listings section on what’s playing
and who’s in town. The art scene is not as established as
some of the other major European cities but DOX Contemporary Art
Gallery and the Museum of Young Art both have interesting
contemporary exhibits.

Where the locals get tipsy: This city is
certainly not short on bars or beer. When I first arrived in
Prague, all I could smell was beer wafting out the doors of the
numerous pubs. People drink all the time, as alcohol is
accessible throughout the city’s vast network of pubs, bars,
clubs, restaurants and cafes. If I had to choose, I would suggest
checking out Lokal, U Fleku (a brewery and a restaurant),
the Letna Park beer garden and Hemingway
Bar and Tretter’s Club for a serious mix of
cocktails.

Most ludicrous stereotype about the people
here: Czech people are miserable and don’t smile. I
hate stereotypes and hear this one all the time. I think, in
comparison to other cultures, Czech people might be more reserved
towards foreigners, but that does not warrant the stereotype of
“miserable." It takes time to make friends and meet people in any
new city, but everywhere you go, it is common practice to greet
people “dobry den” (hello) and “na sheldanou” (goodbye). As a
tourist, get in the habit of learning these two simple phrases.
Try greeting people in shops, in apartment building elevators, in
restaurants, and in museums. As a local, I certainly appreciate
this polite formality of hello and goodbye as I go about my day.

If I had only 24 hours to explore Prague I
would: If I only had 24 hours to explore
Prague, I would start my day off at Muj Salek
Kavy (Karlin) for breakfast and have the BEST
coffee in the city. Then I would make my way over to
the Kubista gallery to check out their
collection of art deco and cubism work. Next, for a pick me up, I
would walk over to Wenceslas Square and duck
into Dobra Cajovna, a well-known tea house that is
tucked away in an alley off the main strip. Recharged, I
would take a tram across the water and walk from Mala Strana up
to the castle through the narrow streets taking in the sights.
Once back down from the castle, I would go
to Cukr Kava Limonada (Mala Strana)
for lunch (it’s an adorable café with a sizeable menu of salads,
sandwiches, pastries and fresh juices). Following lunch, I would
cross back over the bridge and wander around Old Town and the
Jewish area (the Spanish Synagogue is a must), and perhaps
meander down Parizska Street for some window-shopping. After all
this walking, I would step into the closest Thai Massage parlor
(literally all over the city) and get some reflexology or a full
body massage. For dinner, I would go to Essence in Zizkov
followed by some wine at Veltlin (Karlin), a wine bar themed on
growing regions from the former Hapsburg Empire.

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Sarah caught the travel bug
early on and has had the opportunity to live in Hong Kong,
Shanghai, Beijing, New York and now Prague. In Prague, she
teaches several marketing classes at Prague College’s business
school, blogs about design-inspired travel on Lamb411 and recently
launched Countlan, a
quarterly digital magazine dedicated to exploring how people all
over the world entertain at home.